was created by AFRW to honor the memory of an extremely active
Republican woman, Dodie Londen. Dodie served as chairman of the
Arizona Republican Party and was active in Arizona politics for
decades. Dodie set a high example of how women can be effective
and successful in the political arena in a volunteer capacity by
working hard to register Republicans and by getting Republicans
elected to office.
Dodie Londen passed away in 2006, after
suffering for many years with severe back problems. It is in her
honor that AFRW will award a yearly monetary scholarship to
young women in the Arizona Teenage Republicans. Lois Fitch,
State Advisor of the Arizona TARS since 1970, chooses the
recipients. The criteria state that the recipients must remain
active in TARS and use the monetary award to attend the TARS
National Leadership Conference each July in Washington, DC.
Recipients for 2007, are Kim Carter and
Samantha Norton both of Scottsdale and Lauren McCann of Tucson.
A plaque with the recipient’s names has been installed at the
Arizona Republican Party Headquarters in Phoenix and will be
updated every year. Each young lady received a check from AFRW
in the amount of $300.
Katie Carter is a senior at Saguaro High
School in Scottsdale. She has been involved with TARS for
three years serving as Social Chairman and Community Service
Chair.
During 2006 Katie worked the phone bank at
the Arizona Republican Party Headquarters in Phoenix to get
voters to the polls. Katie became involved with TARS is because
she believes that people should knew about the world and get
involved in the world, especially with voting because these
people make decisions that can make or break your life.
Samantha Norton is a sophomore at Saguaro
High School in Scottsdale. She has been involved with TARS
for two years serving as historian and chair of the fundraising
committee. In 2006 Samantha campaigned for many people including
J.D. Hayworth, Michele Reagan, Colette Rosati, and Len Munsil.
Samantha is active in TARS not only because
it is fun but also politics can be very exciting and it is fun
to help with elections. Samantha’s goals are to run for vice
chair or chair of her TARS club and keep her club happy and
working at their potential.
Lauren McCann is a junior at Sahuaro High
School in Tucson. Lauren has been involved with TARS for
three years serving as secretary and 1st vice
president. Currently Lauren is serving as secretary for the
state board of the Arizona TARS.
Along with others members of her club Lauren
helped put up over 80 signs in Pima County for State
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, worked 5 days at
the Pima GOP Voter Registration Booth at the Pima County Fair,
worked over 70 hours making phone bank calls to help get Senator
Kyl reelected, walked precincts handing out literature for all
Republican candidates, and sold TARS "Stock in America"
certificates.
Lauren is active in TARS because she wants to
get Republicans elected to office at the local, state, and
federal level. Her goal for next year is to get more teens
involved in TARS and to plan more fundraisers for the TARS
annual trip to Washington, DC. Since next year will be her
senior year Lauren will be pushing for more conservative teens
to become active so she can leave high school with the knowledge
that her TARS club will be in good hands and continue to survive
after she graduates.
Ashley Collins
is a Sophomore at Sahuaro High School in Tucson.
At the age of 13, while she was
in middle school, Ashley became a Tucson TAR and served as
secretary. When she entered high school Ashley formed
the Sahuaro TARS, Tucson and has been elected chairman for
the last 2 year's. In 2004 Ashley attended the TAR
Leadership Conference in Washington, DC and will be
attending again this July. Ashley's political
involvement includes working fundraisers for the Pima County
Republican Party including the voter registration booth at
the Pima County Fair, Sen. Kyl's booth at the fair, walking
precinct for candidates, and working fundraisers for the
Pima County Republican Women's Club. Ashley hopes to
work in politics one day and possibly run for office.
She wants to help educate young people about Republican
politics and to help get Republicans elected.
Ashley's plans for increasing TAR
membership include advertising more, holding more
fundraisers, participating in the TAR State Convention and
to encourage more teenagers to get involved.
